Five start-up companies emerged winners at the 2019 edition of the Heritage Christian College (HCC) Start-Up Challenge held in Accra last Friday.
Bos Piggery, a pig rearing company, took the first position and got GH₵25, 000; EnvisExarchy, a fashion design and clothing line company, placed second and took away GH₵20,000; and Smart Estate Agency, an estate agency, was third and won GH₵15, 000, RM.
JP Grooming World, a fashion design and beauty services, came fourth winning GH₵10, 000, whilst Relish Farms, a vegetable farming company, was fifth and got GH₵10, 000.
Each winner received a medal in addition.
The competition was organised by HCC in partnership with the Centre for Entrepreneurship, Philanthropy and Ethics (CEPE) of HCC.
Dr William Abayaawien Atuilik, PROVOST and Vice President of HCC, congratulated the companies for emerging the winners, and for dedicating time and effort, despite attending lectures, to participate in the challenge.
He said the money was a grant given to them by the college, and would be deposited into the company’s account to further their businesses.
“The challenge is aimed at inspiring the youth to set up businesses to make them independent and to believe in their talents as well as to take advantage of the economic opportunities in the country,” the PROVOST added.
Mr Atuilik noted that with the increasing number of youths being unemployed in the country, it was essential that the entrepreneurial skills within the youth be developed to help them create employment for themselves and to employ others also.
He advised the winners and their teams to continue to grow their business as the college would continue to offer counselling and coaching services to them to help their companies grow and compete on the local and international market.
The PROVOST, however, added that the companies who were unable to emerge winners would also receive coaching to further enhance their business ideas, and would be nurtured until their companies were fully set up and begin operations.
BY FREDERICK GADESE-MENSAH
